The 88-year-old said: “It wasn’t just the fighting we faced, but the awful weather too. It was very dangerous when we had 24-hour daylight, as the U-boats could see us. But the worst thing was the sheer boredom.”

Mr Hughes, who wore a number of his other medals for yesterday’s ceremony, said he was “proud” to receive his latest honour.

The Russian Government agreed in March to honour sailors from the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy who helped in the delivery of supplies.

Sergey Nalobin, parliamentary counsellor at the Russian embassy, praised the “invaluable contribution” the veterans made to the war.

He told the recipients: “Your heroism will always be remembered in our country.”